Base for electrical fixtures.



PATENTED AUG. 16, 1904.

L. STEINBERGER. BASE FOR ELECTRICAL FIXTURES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

v/ Y B Ilium nlllll quill" A TTOHNE Y8 UNITED STATES Patented August 16, 1904.

LOUIS STEINBERGER,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BASE FOB ELECTRICAL FIXTURES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 767,846, dated August 16, 1904. Application filed June 1, 1903. Serial No. 159,505- (No model.)

To all whrmt it nubyomwcrn:

Be it known that I, LOUIS STEINBEEGER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Base for Electrical Fixtures, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to bases for electrical fixtures, and more particularly to an insulating-base used for switchboards and other comparatively small instruments employed in office-work.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference inclicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a base used for mounting the members of a switchboard. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the same upon the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 3 is a cross-section upon the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow, and Fig. 4 is a crosssection upon the line 4 4 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow.

The base 1 is of insulating material and is preferably made by molding, the material used for the purpose'bein-g either in plastic, liquid, or powder form orotherwise adapted to be forced into a die or mold. Bindingposts are shown at 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. Each binding-post is provided with a diametrical slot 8, with an annular groove 9 and with a central aperture 10, as shown more particularly in Fig. 2. Upon each binding-post is a revoluble threaded cap 11, which is adapted to move downward, so as to clamp wires 12 13 within slots 14 in the binding-posts. By this arrangement the same cap 11 may bind a plurality of wires. As this feature will be described more particularly in a separate application, 1 a more detailed description of it at this time. Switch-levers 15 16 are provided with handles 17 18 of insulating material, preferably electrose. These handles are cast solidly upon the ends of the levers and are rigid relatively thereto. The levers 15 16 are pivotally mounted upon screws a metallic conductor.

do not deem it necessary, to make 19 20, provided with heads 21 22, as shown more particularly in Fig. 3. The screws 19 pass into plates 23 24, each provided with a cylindrical portion 25 and with an enlarged head 26, this head being connected with the cylindrical portion 25 by means of a neck 27, which neck has the form of an annular groove, as indicated in Fig. 3. The switch-levers are each free to engage a neutral contact-button 31 or to engage active contact members 32 33 or 34 35. The neutral contact-button has a cylindrical portion 28, a transverse slot 29, and a groove 30, as shown in Fig. 3. Each of the active contact members 32 to 35 is provided with a button portion 36 and also with a cylindrical portion 35, having a head 37 and an annular groove 38, the head 37 and the portion 35 being preferably of the" same diameter. Each active contact member is connected with a binding-post by means of a wire 39 or through Somewhat similarly a wire 40 or equivalent metallic member connects each cylindrical portion 25 of the screws 19 and 20 with another binding-post, so as to establish an electrical communication between the same. The stop-pins 41 are of the usual construction and are employed to limit the play of the switch-levers 15 and 16.

The construction of the improvement is such that the several binding-posts and other metallic members which are to be mounted rigidly upon the base are connected inseparably with the base and cannot be tampered with or caused to release the wire within the base. (See Figs. 3 and 4.) The slot 8 engages the material of the base, as indicated in Fig. 2, thereby preventing the metallic members from turning relatively to the insulation. The wires being once in position and the insulating material being molded around them, as indicated in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, the several parts are rendered practically integral and all defectiveness of contact within the base is avoided. The wire is preferably wrapped around the metallic members, following the contour of the grooves 9, and

bent downward into the slot 8, the slot being sufiiciently deep to enable it to engage a pornotwithstanding the I do not,

tion of the insulation presence of the wire in the slot.

however, limit myself to the particular manner herein shown of fastening the wires to either the binding-posts or to the contactposts, as other means will readily occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A base for electrical fixtures, comprising a base portion provided with a number of metallic members each partially embedded therein, said metallic members each being provided with a slot for engaging the substance of said base portion, thereby preventing rotation of said metallic members, and each metallic member being further provided with a channel for engaging a wire, said channel being completely inclosed by the substance of said base.

2. Abase for electrical fixtures, comprising a base portion provided with a number of metallic members, each having an enlarged end provided with a slot, said end being em bedded within said base portion and provided with a portion extending above said base portion for engaging electrical conductors.

3. A base for electrical fixtures, comprising a base portion provided with a number of metallic members, each having an enlarged end provided with a slot for engaging the substance of said base portion, thereby preventing movements of said metallic members, each of said metallic members being further provided with a channel disposed within the substance of said base portion, and wires engaging said channels of different metallic members for the purpose of connecting the same together.

4. A base for electrical fixtures, comprising a base portion provided with a number of metallic members each partially embedded therein, divers of said metallic members each being provided with a slot and also with an annular groove, said slot and said groove being for the joint purpose of engaging aconducting member embedded within said base portion and also for engaging the substance of said base.

5. A base for electrical fixtures, comprising a base portion provided with a number of metallic members each having an enlarged end provided with mutilations, said mutilations having the double purpose of preventing movements of said metallic members and of engaging conductors, and a longitudinal conductor fixedly connected with (livers of said metallic members, said longitudinal conductor being completely embedded within the substance of said base portion.

6. In a base for electrical fixtures, the combination of a base portion of insulating material provided With a plurality of metallic conductors each partially embedded therein and having mutilations, and a wire engaging said mutilations and being rigidly embedded within said insulating material and immovable relatively to said metallic conductors.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS STEINBERGER.

Witnesses:

F. W. HANAFORD, EVERARD BOLTON MARSHALL. 

